The scholarship will represent the club’s highest award and will be presented to the USC bound student who most closely exemplifies Bob’s character, enthusiasm, community involvement, leadership and achievement traits.
Captain Bob Arrington took a tremendous amount of pride as President of the USC Alumni Club of North Texas, being a USC Trojan, serving the United States, and his community.
Bob attended USC, where he earned his Master of Business Administration in 1962 and his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1966. Bob served in The United States Navy from 1953-1983, achieving the rank of Captain in 1974. His civilian career in the field of engineering included North American Rockwell, Northrop, Hughes and E-Systems. One of Bob’s great engineering achievements was the invention of the analog to digital converter in the 1960’s, which was years ahead of its time.
Bob was the proud and loving father of ten children, Mary Jayne, Robert, Nanci (USC ’77), Lois, Walter (USC ’82), Peggy, Donald, Melanie (USC ’89), William and Michael, and grandfather of twenty-one grandchildren.
Bob was a staunch supporter of USC athletics for forty years, and last year, traveled to games in South Bend and Pasadena to watch USC’s 2003 national football champions play Notre Dame, and Michigan in the Rose Bowl. He also hosted social events for USC’s 2003 women’s volleyball national champions, which won their second straight NCAA title here in Dallas in December 2003.
In addition to USC athletics, Bob was a fan of the Dallas Cowboys for twenty-four years and his affiliations included The North Texas Dance Community and the Elks Club. He enjoyed fishing, hiking with his children and jogging. One of his memorable lines is “Don’t burn daylight!” and that is how he celebrated every day of his life.
Bob will be dearly missed by all of us who knew him and loved him. And for the USC Alumni Club of North Texas, he will always have a special place in our hearts and his legacy will live on through the Bob Arrington Memorial Scholarship.
Donations to the Bob Arrington Memorial Scholarship Fund can be made to:
USC Alumni Club of North Texas
3100 Main Street #276
Dallas, Texas 75226
Click here to make an electronic donation.
Download the Class Note and Editor's Note that appeared in the Spring/Summer 2004 issue of USC Engineer magazine.